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Wednesday 5th November 2014 *Brent Reservoir: Vis-mig 06:30-09:15: Yellowhammer, 84 Starling, 1835 Woodpigeon, 10 Stock Dove, 83 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare, 23 Chaffinch, 2 Lesser Redpoll; also 2 Peregrine, Tawny Owl seen, Chiffchaff (Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall). * Brookmill Park: Mandarin, 2 Kingfisher, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam) * Greenwich Park: 970+ Woodpigeon over with 2-3 Stock Doves mixed in, Siskins heard over, Skylark heard, 2 Fieldfares, 28 Redwings west, 12+ Chaffinch, Grey Wagtail (Joe Beale) * Leyton Flats: Kingfisher, Shoveler, Great Crested Grebe x 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay x 2 (RO) Brambling over Gilberts Slade at dawn, 4 Redwing, Linnet, Grey Wagtail, 6+ Goldcrest, 17 Gadwall (Hollow and Eagle Ponds), drake Shoveler, Green Woodpecker, 2 Egyptian Geese (Stuart Fisher) * Richmond Park: Dartford Warbler - Lawn Field, in bracken east of Lower Pen Pond (J.Wilhi czur) * St James's Park: Kingfisher showing well this morning and a Grey Wagtail this afternoon(Frank Nugent). ; Frank, can you tell me where is best to look or the kingfisher please ? thanks, Toni * Walthamstow Marsh: 4 Stonechat (James Palmer) * Wanstead Flats: Brambling, Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, 36 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, 10 + Song Thrush, 300 + Common Gull, 200 + Black-headed Gull, 2 Kestrel, 8 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit, 4 Pied Wagtail, Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 15 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 3m Teal, 2 f Pochard, 5 Little Grebe, 600 + Wood Pigeon south (Nick Croft) * Wanstead Park/Bush Wood: Firecrest, 6 + Goldcrest (Bob Vaughan) * Waterworks NR: 12 Teal, 5 Common Snipe, Green Woodpecker (James Palmer) Tuesday 4th November 2014 *Beckton Creekside/Sewage Works: c615 Black-headed Gull, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, c65 Cormorant, 95 Teal (Peter Beckenham) * Beddington SF: 3,200 Woodpigeon SW in 30 mins (BFBG via Twitter) * Brent Reservoir: Vis-mig 06:30-08:50: Lapwing S, 38 Starling, 910 Woodpigeon, 28 Stock Dove, Linnet, 24 Chaffinch (Andrew Verrall); 5 Ruddy Duck, 14 Snipe, 7 Water Rail, Lapwing (on mud), 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting (Leo Batten, Roy Beddard, Andrew Haynes, Pete Lowman).. * Greenwich Park: 25+ Chaffinches over, 150+ Woodpigeons with 5-6 Stock Doves mixed in, Brambling heard, Goldfinch high south (Joe Beale). * Hackney E9: Male Pheasant on pavement 8.30am Victoria Park Road (Jan Dobbie) * London Wetland Centre: 3 Redpoll, 4 Skylark(W/SW), 1 Jack Snipe, 2 Stonechat, 2 Chiffchaff (Adam Salmon) 1m Pintail, at least 4 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Water Rail (Martin Honey) * Oxleas Woods: 2 Firecrest (m & f) in Firethorn and Yew 07.30-07.45, also 2 Goldcrest & c10 Long Tailed Tit. Male Pheasant in next door garden 09.30 (John Reid) * Rainham Marshes RSPB: 2 Egyptian Goose, 8 Stonechat, 80 Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, 4 Brent Goose, Marsh Harrier (ELBF via Twitter) * 15 Stonechat (JW, S. Read, M.Lewis) * Sutcliffe Park: Kingfisher, 2 little Grebe, pair Mute Swans, Common Snipe, 8 Mistle Thrush, 6 Song Thrush, 3 Redwing, Fieldfare, 11 Blackbird. (P Kite) * Vauxhall: f Peregrine (Michael Mac) * Verulamium Park St Albans: Raven over lake (Herts website). * Wanstead Flats: m Stonechat, 10 Fieldfare, 7 Mistle Thrush, Redpoll sp, 2-3 Bullfinch, 2 Linnet, 2 Reed Bunting, 8 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 3 Skylark, 3 Goldcrest, 19 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 11 Tufted Duck, m Pochard, 3 + Little Grebe, 2 Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan) * Waterworks NR: Water Rail, Kingfisher, 7 Common Snipe, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker, 8 Teal, Little Grebe, 2 Wigeon (Alan Hobson). * Wormwood Scrubs LNR: 4 Lesser Redpoll, 2 Bullfinch (pair), c400 Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Jackdaw, Redwing, 2 Reed Bunting, 10 Meadow Pipit, c3,000 Ring-necked Parakeet (Twitter) Monday 3rd November 2014 *Barn Elms Sports Centre SW13: Tawny Owl calling from trees at about 17:10 (Mike Caiden) * Beddington SF: Short-eared owl '(a.m.) (BFBG via Twitter) * Broomfield Park, Palmers Green, N13: Black-headed Gull adult-winter yellow darvic ring on left leg 2BKT or ZBKT? (Robert Callf). ''Might be North Thames Gull Group.'' Has it been reported? (Martin Honey) Yes I reported it to BTO (Robert Callf)'' *Dagenham Chase LNR: Brambling calling overhead, 1 male Stonechat, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Wigeon, 6 Gadwall and 3 Water Rail. ( V.Halley-Frame ). * Lonsdale Rd Res: 12 Cormorant, 41 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, 16 Teal (Neil Anderson) *Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: '''Firecrest still (BirdGuides) * Victoria Embankment: Caspian_Gull reported coming to bread 1215 - subsequently re-identified as Yellow-legged Gull (BirdGuides) * Walthamstow Marshes: 1 Egyptian Goose (Rear Paddocks), 1 Goldcrest, 1 Peregrine, 4 Snipe flew SE from West Warwick at 16.30pm (Adam Winstanley). * Waterworks NR. At least one Jacksnipe still present at 08:30 in Basin 16 (Quentin Given); no Jack Snipe visible by 10:00 (Matthew Cunningham); 1 Jack Snipe, 4 Snipe, 7 Teal, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Peregrine, 1 Cetti's Warbler (heard only) from 15.00-15.45pm (Adam Winstanley) Sunday 2nd November 2014 *Brent Reservoir: c500 Ring-necked Parakeets flew over 07:30-08:00 presumably from roost at the Scrubs, also 2 Peregrines; viz-mig: 7 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, 4 Starling, 5 Chaffinch & 3 Greenfinch (Andrew Self); 17 Snipe, 3 Green Sandpiper, 5 Ruddy Duck (Roy Beddard); Bittern seen in reed-bed opposite Main Hide at 12.40 (Bob Husband) *Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher (Conrad Ellam) *Connaught Water: red-head Smew nr new boardwalk 0800 - belated report (BirdGuides) *Dagenham Chase: Short-eared Owl over 1:11pm-1:26pm flying slowly towards Hornchurch CP (Twitter) *Gallions Reach: 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Curlew, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Brambling. (Gary A James & Paul Davis) *Grays: Short-eared Owl S over Thames reported 1100 (BirdGuides) * KGV Reservoir: Black-necked Grebe on the South basin N/W corner, 4 Goldeneye, 1 Goosander on the North basin (Neville Smith). * Leyton, Jubilee Park: 1620 Ring necked Parakeet, 5 Meadow Pipit, pr Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 13 Redwing, 8 Fieldfare, Green Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk (Stuart Fisher) *Queen Mother Reservoir: Snow Bunting at chainage marker '1450' at 12:50pm, still at marker '2000' at 14:10 but flighty (BirdGuides) * Ten Acre Wood area (before deluge!): Buzzard, m Sparrowhawk putting up finch flock, m Kestrel, Green Sandpiper, Snipe, Grey Wagtail, c5 Meadow Pipit, pr Stonechat, Redwing, Chiffchaff, 2 Rook, 5 Reed Bunting, pr Bullfinch, 40+ Linnet (Neil Anderson) * Wanstead Flats: 15 Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, Reed Bunting, 2 Goldcrest, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 3 Teal, Gadwall, 3 Shoveler, 5 Meadow Pipit, Skylark (Nick Croft/BobVaughan) * Wanstead Park: Little Egret, 6 + Little Grebe, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, 60 + Gadwall, 31 Tufted Duck, 16 + Pochard, 6 Shoveler, m Wigeon, 6 + Goldcrest and a blue budgie (Nick Croft) * Waterworks NR: 2 Jack Snipe , Bed 16 , 13 common snipe, 51 teal, 3 wigeon 2/3 Cettis, (Jamie Partridge, Mike Messenger) 2 Jack Snipe still in bed 16 at 3pm (G Howie, Sue Huckle, JW Davies) Saturday 1st November 2014 * Poplar: Limehouse Cut Canal. 3:45pm flying east bound, low along the waterline under Morris Road bridge. saw Kingfisher till out of sight after about 5 secs * Bow: Black redstart (m), NE bank of the Lea, 50-200m SE of Bow Roundabout, near graffiti reading 'The Grass is Always Greener'. Also juv kestrel, dunnock, 2 grey wagtail (Matthew Cunningham) * Brent Reservoir: Bittern '''showed briefly but superbly at 0845 on opposite bank reed bed from main hide, also 5 Ruddy Duck (m, 4f), 2 Water Rail, leucistic Black-headed Gull (Bob Watts, Henry Wyn-jones, Andrews Self & Verrall et al) Earlier vis-mig 2 Meadow Pipit, 32 Redwing, 7 Fieldfare, 105 Starling, 156 Woodpigeon, 30 Stock Dove, Siskin, 4 Linnet, 43 Chaffinch, Bullfinch. Also male Peregrine and 2 Chiffchaff. * Dartford Marshes: 5 Little Egret, 60 Wigeon, 70 Dunlin, 100 Lapwing. 150 Golden Plover, 3 Ringed Plover, 150 Redhank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, Kingfisher, 3 Rock Pipit, Stonechat, 5 Rook, 4 Common Seals (Conrad Ellam) * Greenwich Park: Bullfinch (rare here) west, Skylarks heard, 260+ Woodpigeons S, 2 Fieldfares, 23 Starlings W, 2 Blackbirds W, Brambling heard, Siskins heard, 3 Linnets S, 25+ Redwing, 90+ Chaffinch W, 15+ Goldfinch probably on the move S, 2 Egyptian Geese (Joe Beale) * Hampstead Heath: Morning watch- 400 Wood Pigeons, 110 Redwings,8 Linnets, 60 Starlings, 4 Meadow Pipits, 1 Redpoll. (GreenGrandad, with Dave and Frank.) * Kew Gardens: 13 Greylag, 2pr Egyptian geese, Grey Wagtail, 5 Redwing feeding in Yew, 3 Red Admiral, Peacock Butterfly (Neil Anderson/K.Bull) * Leyton, Jubilee Park: 1550 Ring necked Parakeet, 1120 Woodpigeon west, 10 Stock Dove E, 54 Chaffinch (most N-NW), 38 Goldfinch, Linnet, 7 Skylark NW, 28 Meadow Pipit and Reed Bunting left roost in grass, 110 Redwing W, 16 Fieldfare over, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff (Stuart Fisher) * London Wetland Centre: 1 '''Little Gull '''1st W on resr lagoon then flew towards main lake or river (0820hrs), 1 '''Water Pipit (marsh), 33 Meadow Pipit(SE+W), 40 Chaffinch(W+NW), 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Mandarin (Adam Salmon) 2 Jack Snipe grazing marsh plus 10 Common Snipe, 1m Peregrine on Ch. X Hospital, 1m 1f Stonechat, 1m Pintail (Martin Honey) * Margravine Cemetery: 2 Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk over S, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 4 Red Admiral (Nathalie Mahieu, Maggie O'Brien). * Rainham Marshes RSPB: Raven, c. 10 Stonechat, 15 + singing Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 30 + Redwing, 50 + Fieldfare, 200 Golden Plover, 12 Ringed Plover, 96 Dunlin, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 140 Redshank, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier (Dave Morrison/RSPB) * Richmond Park: vis-mig 07.30-09.30: 1,800 Wood Pigeon, 6 Stock Dove, 15 Skylark, 120 Song Thrush, 7 Redwing, 85 Fieldfare, 180 Starling, 47 Chaffinch, 8 Greenfinch, 2 Reed Bunting. Also: Snipe, 13 Skylark grounded, 2 Stonechat - in different area to yesterday, 30 Blackbird in scrub in NW section and near Ham Gate (J.Wilczur) Dartford Warbler - Lawn Field mid day, 4 Stonechat (pair either side of Lower Pen Pond) c15 Common Darter around Lower Pen Pond end (Steve Woolfenden)' Lesser Spotted Woodpecker' heard QE Pltn (P.Burrows-Smith per JW) * Staines Moor: Red Kite (west 14:00), 3+ Buzzard, 4+ Kestrel, Grey Wagtail, Stonechat, 4 Little Grebe (James Hudson), 4+ Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Cetti's Warbler, Goldcrest (bushes near Stanwell Moor), Kingfisher (Barbara & Jarek Francik) *Staines Reservoir: Yellow Wagtail (per Surrey BC) * Stocker's Lake: 3 Goldeneye (Herts website). *Sunnymeads GP, Wraysbury: Lesser Scaup drake flew in 0840 & showed well in front of island (just outside London area) till flushed by fishing boat 1330 & flew off high S (Berks BC, Twitter, BirdGuides) * Swanley Park : Teal (m), 20+ Redwing, Blackcap (Andy Meaton) * Tottenham Marsh: Stonechat still at south end of Clendish Marsh (James Palmer) * Walthamstow Reservoirs: Common Sandpiper and Goldeneye on Lockwood; 2 Wigeon on East Warwick; 2 Stonechat and a Reed Bunting on West Warwick; flock of c50 Fieldfare south high and six low into bushes on north side, c20 Redwing SW. (David Bradshaw) * Whitings Hill Barnet: Tawny Owl calling and seen last night 20.40 seems to be holding territory (David Martens) 'Archived News' LONDON BIRDING NEWS FROM ALMOST EVERY PREVIOUS MONTH SINCE JULY 2002 {C}